Brined Chicken Drumsticks

Brined chicken drumsticks are one of the top cuts to enjoy when brining chicken! It is so simple and quick to prepare these easy brined chicken drumsticks, you'll wish you'd have started brining your chicken years ago. You can easily learn how to brine chicken by just trying out a single brined chicken recipe, like this brined chicken wings or brined chicken thighs. The hardest part of making your own brine is the waiting process. I recommend preparing the brined chicken drumsticks the night before the cooking commences, or in the morning before you leave for work.

best method for brined chicken drumsticks

Sometimes, chicken is associated as a quick dinner or lunch protein that needs minimum cooking time. Although this is true, brined chicken drumsticks or brined chicken wings are definitely worth the extra effort. The difference between plain drumsticks without the brine and that of their brined counterparts is definitely noteworthy. Once you start applying a brine to your chicken, you'll think that chicken recipes without the brine results in dry and stringy chicken.

quick and easy chicken brine

Preparing a brine is really easy. There are different types of brines you can use for the brining process. The brining process has actually been around for multiple centuries. Ever since our ancestors learned that brining helps preserve meat, it has been used regularly. The most common ingredients to brine are meats, especially fish and meat. Brining not only helps to preserve food but also enhances food flavours and tenderness. To do so, one can add different herbs to the brine, sugar, vinegar, various spices and even caramel!

There are two types of brines: dry brines and wet brines. You can make brined chicken drumsticks with both! First, the dry brine calls for a large amount of coarse sea salt. Apply it evenly, covering every square inch of the chicken drumstick. Leave the brine to work its magic for several hours. In the process, the salt will draw the moisture from inside the chicken to the surface, which is then reabsorbed. In a way ,the chicken will brine in its own juices. However, the best brined chicken drumsticks results are accomplished with a wet brine.

To prepare a simple chicken brine, the key ingredient here is the salt. Make sure you follow the recipe with the optimal ratio of water to salt. I also recommend adding a hint of sugar to the wet brine. If you don't like to eat too much sugar, this element is not required for chicken brines. However, the added sugar will help brown the brined chicken drumsticks once you roast them in the oven, or smoke them. In addition to that, you can choose to add any herbs to the brine. For example, for Mediterranean flavours, you can add fresh rosemary or oregano to the brine. It would work brilliantly for a traditional chicken cacciatore recipe.

how long to brine chicken drumsticks for

Brining different cuts of chicken involves different times. Simply because if you overdo it with the brine, you risk making your chosen chicken cut very salty. For example, brined chicken wings can last up to 48 hours. On the contrary, brined chicken breasts can brine for only a couple of hours. The brined chicken drumsticks can also handle a couple of hours. The recommended amount is between 3-4 hours, depending on the size of the chicken. Of course, this all depends on just how much salt your added to your brine mixture. Thus far, I've brined all my different cuts of chicken overnight, which yielded great results.

chicken drumstick's anatomy

The chicken drumstick is more often than now one of the children's favourite cuts of meat. My guess is because of the traditional way a chicken drumstick is often depicted in the cartoons. It's fun to nibble on as well!

The drumstick of the chicken consists of two elements: the actual drumstick and the patella. Separating the chicken thigh from the chicken drumstick might come as a challenge, but it's far from difficult if you own the proper knife.  First, you need to separate the whole chicken leg from the whole chicken by cutting through the joint. Once you complete this step, it's much easier to remove the chicken thigh from the chicken drumstick.

To learn more about the different cuts of chicken and their relevant descriptions, click right here.

how to cook brined chicken drumsticks

The best way to enjoy brined chicken drumsticks are by roasting them in the oven. This where the brining process comes in handy because the meat will remain juicy and moist inside, noo matter how long the chicken is exposed to the heat of the oven. Of course, you shouldn't over do it, because then you'll burn the chicken. However, with the brine having taken effect, there should be no reason to aim for obtaining that extra crispy skin. The exterior will be lovely and golden while the inside of the chicken with be moist to the bone. I recommend keeping the chicken skin on as a form of protecting the flesh from too much heat. The skin layer will act as a 'protection membrane' against additional heat transfer and it will make your chicken even juicier.

If you decide to take the skin off, the muscles on the chicken drumsticks can become very stringy and hard. Stick to my advice and keep the skin on. If you don't like it, you can always remove it once you finish cooking the chicken in the oven or in the pan.

If you're lucky enough to own a smoker, you can enjoy a great meal comprising smoked chicken drumsticks!

best brined chicken drumsticks recipes

The best brined chicken drumsticks are those that leave you licking all your fingertips at the end. This oven-baked barbecue chicken recipe will just do the trick because the brined chicken drumsticks is covered in a rich and intense barbecue sauce. A recipe for gluten-free barbecue sauce is available too. Otherwise, thanks to the brine, you can enjoy the brined chicken drumsticks just as they are. Serve with a vegan coleslaw or a salad and you are good to go.

Print

📖 Recipe

save the recipe to your pinterest board